Simpson Strong-Tie Company, Inc., the assignee of this application is also the owner of copending application Ser. No. 6-714,616 filed Mar. 20, 1985 entitled ONEPIECE, NON-WELDED HOLDOWN, Assignment recorded, Patent and Trademark Office Mar. 20, 1985, Reel 4387 Frame 296now U.S. Pat. No. 4665,672 granted May 19,1987 . A terminal disclaimer has been filed with the present application pursuant to meeting the requirements of Guideline 14 of the Assistant Commissioner for Patents set forth in 1050O G 316.
This invention relates to sheet metal tension ties which are used to strengthen structural building members against forces imposed by earthquakes, hurricanes, typhoons and water related forces such as wave action. Tension ties are used in combination and in addition to standard structural connectors.
Specifically, the present tension tie is connected to a concrete member by a threaded bolt anchored in a concrete wall. The threaded bolt may be set in the concrete wall at the time it is poured or embedded in the concrete wall by drilling and grouting after the wall is poured.
The nearest product available commercially are seismic wall ties which must be embedded in the concrete wall at the time the wall is poured. These embedded type ties cannot be retrofitted.
The only other product on the market which connects to an embedded threaded anchor bolt is a product known as a holdown. Holdowns have been bolted to foundations and bolted to upright members. Such holdowns did not provide any means to nail the strap member to the structural wood member.